Body language is universal and we tend to do a lot of common gestures daily no matter who we are. Whether they are passed down from generation to generation or they are just instinctual there's no denying that body language is a huge substitute for speaking in many different situations, and much of the time they are more powerful than words could ever be.

Certain gestures are so common that you may forget they are body language communication and just view them as verbal communication. I know in American Sign Language many of the gestures make complete sense with the words. It becomes instinctual to sign the words because they relate so well to the meaning. This is why some signs or gestures have become so popular and widely used. Here are a few examples.

1. Putting Your Hand to Your Heart

We all know this means that something has touched us deeply in some way. When you want to express gratitude or compassion this is the gesture that normally appears.

2. Putting Your Palm Up Towards Someone

For a short time I worked for a construction company as a flag girl, and while the red stop signs were supposed to do their job to stop people in their cars, the palm up always worked better. Letting someone know to stop moving their car, letting people know of danger while walking, and keeping people away from you are all effective with the palm up stop sign. Putting both hands up means even more danger or seriousness behind the gesture.

3. Putting Your Fingers to Your Mouth and Pushing Your Lips Out

This means to be quiet, stop talking, or don't make a noise. We use it when we are trying to listen to someone or something and want silence, we use it when we want to get a word in edge-wise with someone, and we use it to let someone know that now is not the time to make that rude comment they want to make.

This gesture is such a weird gesture to me as I would think that covering the mouth and pointing at someone would be more effective, but it's not. This is the universal sign for 'be quiet'.

4. Hands in the Air Palm Up With Shoulders Shrugged and Eyebrows Raised

This gesture means 'I don't know' and is used when we don't want to explain something to someone or when we just don't know the answer to something. I find that co-workers use this gesture a lot when you are complaining about the criticism you received from the boss. This gesture can also mean 'Oh well' or 'That's the way it is!' if used at the right time.

5. Hands in the Air with the Palm Facing Someone

This means it wasn't me or it wasn't my fault or let me explain. It's almost as if we are pushing someone away with this gesture to keep them out of our space or telling them to stay put where they are. We usually use this gesture with a forceful push that ends in one solid spot instead of our hands waving all around.

If you pay attention to when you use these common gestures you can get an insight into how other people view you at that moment.

For instance, if someone is trying to tell you that they feel bad about something they did to you and you put your hands in the air, shrug your shoulders, and raise your eyebrows to them, then you are sending a clear message that you don't really side with them on their story. This sends of message of being non-compassionate to their side of things and will leave them with bad feelings towards you.

The point is that you have to pay attention to your body language and make sure you are not offending people with it. Because it is so instinctual to do many gestures you can offend, turn off, or hurt someone when you didn't mean to.